Artifice
by hanyoupup
Summary: AU: He was raised in a lab as an experiment of human knowledge. He broke free of those bonds and saw the world for the first time...but people would go through great lengths to get back such a creature...[NaruSaku]
1. Regret

1

A/N: hides Er, I shouldn't be starting another story, I think, but I've been working very hard on this... . . Well, at least I now have a story for every mood I am in, so chances are when I feel like writing I'll head to one of my three Naruto stories first thing! Which is good! Truth be told I can't wait to get my fics out the door; I have so many stories to post! I just don't like having too many ongoing at once. Well, I'll add a status meter in my profile which I _will_ update regularly. For those who care, of course.

I don't mean to offend anyone by saying this, but the sheer amount of Naru/Sasu and Naru/Hina fics out there is astounding. I suppose it is just that I am a die-hard Naru/Saku fan XP. Good news for any fans of my work (there are fans, right? O.o) is that whenever I go looking for a new Naruto story to read, encountering so many of these just puts me right in the mood to write. Horrah!

This story is sort of the inbetween of the sort of carefree-teenager-romancy feel of Guardian and the more angstish of RotL. The first chapter or so is a bit dark'ish, but the rest shouldn't be. We'll see.

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

**:x:**

**:x:**

_Artifice: 1. n. Subtle but base deception._

_2. n. A deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture._

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Artifice **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Chapter One**

**:x: **

**Regret**

**:x: **

**:x:**

The halogen light above flickered with a light noise, casting shadows and resounding in the narrow white hall. The only imperfection marring the otherwise immaculate bleached walls was a door of the same color, a small window filtering out a red light onto the tiled floor.

The stillness was palpable, leaving the air feeling thick and stuffy. A scream was heard tearing through the silence, rough with anguish and pain. Following that, a long series of electronic beeping and whirling ensued.

"Stop it!" a loud voice yelled. "You're going to kill him!" Inside the room, the shouter was breathing heavily, her large chest heaving with effort under a pristine lab-coat. Deep brown eyes shone angrily from under dark blonde hair tied back in low pig-tails, a small, purple diamond marking on her forehead barely noticeable. He cheeks flushed with emotion, anger or worry.

The man she had directed her comment at scoffed quietly, but stepped back, ending the other noises in the room with the raise of a slender hand. "You know as well as I do that he'll be perfectly fine, Tsunade." He had long inky black hair, pulled back into a loose tail running past his shoulders. Eerie amber eyes gazed at her reproachfully, his pale skin making the black tattoos near his tear-ducts seem especially sinister. "It'd do you well to sever these…_ties_ you have with the subject. They'll do far more harm than good."

The man left the room silently, as though floating, his tall, lithe body slipping out like a shadow. "Damn you, Orochimaru…" the woman, Tsunade, whispered in the direction he had left, her words lost under the constant humming of computers and other such devices. Snapping upright, she looked about the room.

It a fairly small space, holding no windows and the sole entrance being the door near her. The walls were made of whitewashed cinderblock, lending no heat to the frigid atmosphere. Tightly packed against the confines were multiple high-tech computers and machinery, most giving off a dim red light. All of them had a multitude of numbers and words passing across their screens, cryptic messages she had read through all too many times. The mainframe was in the corner, seemingly mocking her for her helplessness with its glowing eye. She knew who was watching on the other side. She knew who was responsible for all of this.

In front of the largest workstation was another person, reading code on the bright screen, the monitor's glare reflecting off of his glasses and grey hair, though he was younger than herself.

"Kabuto," Tsunade stated firmly, with an air of superiority. "You may leave now."

"Just a moment, m'am. I'd just like to get past this next set of vitals-"

"I said you may leave. Now." She repeated, her voice as cold and hard as the systems around her.

"Yes. Of course." Kabuto answered, quickly printing a few pages and gathering up various materials and notebooks before hurrying from the room.

As the steel door slammed shut a second time, harsh breathing made the other occupant of the room's presence known. With a regretful expression, the busty woman strode to the other fixture, a small metal table, in the area.

Upon the silver bed was a monstrosity that could've passed as a sick joke of a boy. Writhing weakly on once-white but now stained in red sheets and gasping in large quantities of air, the creature looked little more than a beaten animal. His eyes were screwed shut, yellow eyebrows scrunched together in a tormented expression. A steady trickle of tears made its way from under his lids, washing away a small amount of the blood spattered on his face. Along his gaunt cheek bones there were facial markings mirroring each other on each side, three thin black lines reflecting a crude example of whiskers.

His head was well-bandaged with soaked through gauze, desperately needing to be changed soon. Along his torso he had several deep gashes, each oozing the crimson substance, and for all appearances, it looked as though someone had tried to skin the poor creature alive. The sheet covering his lower-half had thick smatters of the life-giving liquid, looking like something out of a B-grade horror film.

Running across the blanket near-to where his shins would be, there was a thick leather strap tightly buckled and securing him in place. A similar one ran the length of his upper-arms. The boy's hands were clenching the thin fabric in a death-grip. Around his wrists were shackles, tying the appendages down and roughly slicing through the skin surrounding them.

With a final sob, the boys eyes flew open, their color flickering between deep-red and crystal-blue for a moment before settling on the hue of the sky. He dropped his hips, the cover slipping down enough to show his lean stomach. Surrounding the navel was a complicated piece of inky artwork, spiraling around with un-readable kanji lining it.

Tsunade glared at the restraints and everything else, the red patches especially. With a snarl she lifted up the nearby tray of sharp, bloody utensils and threw them at the wall creating a loud crashing noise as the grisly tools fell to the floor, a cry wracking her small frame.

The boy coughed, another trickle of red spurting forth from his mouth, and she was instantly at his side again.

The woman hushed him, pulling the sheet back up and placing a gentle hand on his cheek, despite the blood now marking her, and murmured gently. "Shh. It'll be okay in just a moment. You'll be fine, Naruto. You've had worse. Just give it a bit…" And sure enough, just as she said that, many of the more noticeable bruises and wounds were closing up and healing before her very eyes. Within two minutes, all that was left was a passed out and bloody teenager.

She smiled down at him sadly. "I'm sorry, Naruto." Her voice broke. "I am so terribly sorry." Loosing another grief-induced sigh, she reached into her coat pocket, producing a small cell phone in her shaking hands and speed-dialed a number. Waiting a minute, she spoke softly into the mouthpiece. "Iruka? If you could bring a wheelchair down to Exam Room five I'd be very grateful." A pause, then. "No. He's fine now. I think we should get him back to his room as soon as possible though. See you soon."

Tsunade flipped the phone shut and continued to caress the boy's face, wishing to rid him of the filth covering his body. How long had it been? It seemed like so long ago…then again, it was. It was at least seventeen years since she had gotten into this mess, though in truth it was longer. Ever since _he_ left, things were beginning to get out of hand…Orochimaru was right. She shouldn't have gotten close to Naruto, but she couldn't help it. The serpentine man was a monster for not feeling anything for the broken child. To be able to commit such acts on someone so innocent was the most disgusting things Tsunade had witnessed in all her almost-forty years.

Orochimaru…he hadn't always been so sadistic…in school, along with _him_, they had all been friends. They had laughed together, they had studied together, they had done everything together. They had worked together here. Then the third of their trio had left, and she had never felt so alone. The days blended together in a display of depressing and terrible sights and she couldn't take it. He was smart to get out when he did. She hadn't understood at the time, but now it was clear as day. And too late for her. She couldn't leave Naruto. Not ever.

A crisp knock on the door roused her from her musings and Tsunade carefully un-latched the restraining clasps and gingerly lifted the boy into her arms, draping a fresh sheet from a nearby counter over him as she did so. She was fairly strong, especially for a woman, but the main reason for this was that the youth was just very thin.

Walking over the stone floor, heels clinking behind her, she made her way to the door. It opened for her, revealing a man holding it back. Umuino Iruka. He had only worked here for the past seven years or so, and was considered one of Naruto's personal care-takers. He was a shy man, though very nice. He always wore his hair in a short pony-tail, and had a large scare across the bridge of his nose, a testament of his time working. He had obtained that during one of Naruto's fits, not believing the boy -for he was merely ten at the time- would hurt him.

"You're sure he's fine?" asked Iruka worriedly.

"As fine as he could be, given the situation." Tsunade sneered angrily.

He gave her a tired smile and allowed her to place the battered boy onto the chair, the front of her clothes now soiled. "I've got it from here." Tsunade said. "You can get back to your duties."

"Call me if you need anything." Iruka said, starting off down the hallway.

Tsunade didn't answer. She made sure her charge was secure before grasping the back and wheeling him forward, the opposite direction from the scarred man.

She bypassed several doors on her trek through the maze of hallways. Most weren't labeled with words, rather a number. The few that had names were obviously offices for people. She came to a halt at a gate directly in front of her. It was a double door, and had no handles, just a camera overhead and keypad on the side. These doors had no windows to catch a glimpse to the other side, only lettering painted in foreboding black paint; 'Authorized Personnel Only'. Tsunade rummaged through a pocket and procured an identification tag holding her name, picture and a series of numbers. Under 'Position:' it simply said, 'Adviser and Caretaker'. Of course, no one would doubt her qualifications to do anything in this compound, deceiving title or not. There was only one man she was required to answer directly to, and he was a rare sight around here indeed…

She swiped the card through the slot with a practiced ease and typed in a long numerical code onto the keypad. The words 'entrance approved' flashed across the micro LCD screen before the portal slid open with a hiss of forced air.

Positioning herself once more behind the wheelchair, Tsunade walked forwards. For such a spike in security -there now being cameras every ten feet or so- the surrounds looked pretty much the same. There were considerably less doors and hallways though.

Walking by the room with a small sign naming it 'Cafeteria' she wrinkled her nose. It was amazing what the higher-ups in the lab would feed their more prestigious workers. Needless to say, Tsunade did not partake in the delicacies served there. And since it was up to her, neither did Naruto, much to the anger of some colleagues.

Along her way Tsunade passed by few more titled rooms, and those were mainly generic such as 'Gym' and 'Restroom'.

She came upon no others on her journey, which suited her just fine. She was known for her temper, and she was angry enough right now that she was sure if she ran into someone she would punch them clear through a wall. Twenty-some-odd years of Tai-Jutsu can do that to a person.

These new doors didn't have a label upon them at all, rather a number pad along the side and a small black square. She once more procured her ID card from her breast pocket and ran her slender fingers over the keypad, inputting various numerical combinations. Following a card swipe she pressed a manicured thumb on the black surface, waiting as a green light passed underneath.

A speaker above her buzzed into existence, a feminine, computerized voice addressing her. "_Scan complete. Access granted. Welcome, Tsunade."_

The doors ahead sprang to life, separating with a resounding hiss. Tsunade stepped though, flinching as the portal slammed shut behind her, locks hatching.

This newer hallway was apparently the heart of the complex, desolate and barren. There were only five doors in this room, one directly opposite the buxom woman and two on each side. From her vantage point she couldn't make out the bold lettering on the thresholds but it didn't matter. She knew them all like the back of her hand anyways.

The two closest to her were labeled 'Training' and 'Medic'. She was in charge of both of those rooms. Behind those was the 'Monitoring' room and the one she detested most; 'Testing and Procedure'. It was amazing how misleading a name could be.

Outside each door was a security measure similar to the one seen on the one she just passed. Dotted along the ceiling every few feet were cameras; black, menacing domes set equidistant apart.

The entire area reeked of antiseptic, the walls spotless and the floors reflecting every one of the artificial lights.

Tsunade purposefully strode forward, moving to the silver door ahead of her.

As she drew close, her sandals breaking the silence with each step, the lone red words on the door came into focus and, if possible, infuriated her even further.

"_Specimen: Nine_

_Codename: Kyuubi"_

'The bastards can't even call him by _name_!' She was here everyday and it still angered her.

Taking a calming breath, she moved to the side of the door where the familiar security procedures were in place. In addition, however, was a set of goggles jutting from the panel. After repeating her usual spiel, Tsunade placed her head in front of these glasses, wincing as a red light phased past her eyes. She would never get used to retina scans.

The small monitor along the keypad flickered to life;

'_Name: Tsunade_

_Clearance type: S-Class_

_Access Granted_.'

The opening of these doors was proceeded by a flashing of red lights towards the ceiling. She grasped the handles of the chair once more while waiting for the barricades to clear. It was slow going, but that was to be expected of two-foot thick steel.

Once a sizable enough gap formed she pushed her way through, using a switch to light the room, the darkness receding to the furthest corners.

'Kyuubi's room, as it were, was a thankful relief from the others in this place. The overall area could be described as chaotic; clothes were strewn every which way, bedding in heaps on the floor and various papers littering the ground.

It was tastefully decorated in a way an adult accountant might enjoy-very plain and simple. The dominant color was, strangely enough, orange. Not by his care-takers choice, of course. Tsunade had stepped in for that, and the lowers hadn't dared defy her.

In the corner farthest from her was a medium-sized television screen, flatscreen, hanging snugly on the wall. Directly below that was a tangled mess of wires and gaming consoles. He had a desk on the wall nearest her, various text-books opened to random pages collecting dust atop it, and on his sunburst-covered bed there sat a vast amount of books.

If there was one thing Uzumaki Naruto enjoyed to do, it was read.

He read all sorts of books in all sorts of genres.

It was the closest he could get to experiencing the outside world.

Along his bedside table was a compact stereo, various CDs stacked precautiously over one and another.

It didn't matter to the Akatsuki if he had access to a tv and a stereo if he didn't have any sort of cable or radio.

There was a singular window in this room, opposite the bed, set into the wall. In place of glass was a large mirror.

Tsunade wheeled the boy over the waxed wooden floor to his bed, the door barring itself closed at her back. She carefully picked up his belongings and placed them neatly on the already-overfull bookshelf. She then lifted his slight weight and put him under the covers, effectively tucking him in.

The woman sat beside the broken boy, gently petting his hair as he slumbered on. He had long since stopped grimacing in his stupor, and now seemed as peaceful as any other youth his age would be expected to be.

His own Identification Tag was different from hers, a metal collar around his neck with a

plastic piece listing off his statistics.

'_Name: Kyuubi.'_

It had been so long she couldn't even remember how this had all started.

'_Birth date: 10/10'_

She had been a child then, hardly older than the boy she was now beside.

'_Hair color: Blonde'_

It had been wonderful in the beginning. The money, the fame. Things she had only dreamt of.

'_Eye color: Variable'_

But then Jiraiya left. And with him so too did her hope.

'_Security Risk: S+'_

Now here she was, a broken woman and an even more broken boy, longing for freedom.

'_Property of: Akatsuki, Research and Development.'_

No. If no one else, Naruto deserved to be free.

He _would_ be free.

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

A/N: Can anyone tell I'm a Tsunade fan? Well, I am. This is just a start, but I adore 'battered' Naruto stores. Contrary to this chapter, the story is focused on Naruto. Pairings are as follows: Naruto/Sakura. That is the only 100 percent one in this story thus far. Okay, so I wrote, you review? Please? D

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

-hanyoupup


	2. Solitary

1A/N: I've really grown to like this story and the plans I have for it. Which is, of course, a good thing. Any which way, I've been real busy lately what with school starting up again and all. Happily I'm just about done with it. Hurrah. I also just got my computer fixed. Yay. So, read and review. Seriously. Please, please, _please_ review. I adore those.

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

**:x:**

**:x:**

_Artifice: 1. n. Subtle but base deception._

_2. n. A deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture._

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Artifice **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Chapter Two **

**:x: **

**Solitary**

**:x: **

**:x:**

It was the realm between waking and sleeping that he had learned to linger upon. Where his dreams no longer taunted him, yet he was still not fully aware of the harsh realities around him.

It was something he had grown so used to; barely waking up and testing his body -mentally probing every portion of it for possible problems.

There never were any.

That was the problem.

Blearily thinking back, he couldn't recall just what had happened last night, something he was all too used to.

Well let's see...it was a Thursday which meant he was due for an exam. So he was likely a bloody mess in his bed. The only good thing about the situation was that it would be a whole week before he once more had to endure Orochimaru's torture. The doctors never called that, of course. It was merely an exam. Testing.

He was only seventeen -an innocent seventeen year old, at that- and he was so used to the word torture that it was just that; a word. He'd read plenty of books that dealt with such themes. Acts like those preformed on him were appalling and sinful in the eyes of Outsiders. Something that hardly ever seemed to happen.

He was so used to it that it was now simply a mark on his agenda. A single line on his to-do list.

That didn't make him like it anymore of course. It just furthered his belief that no matter what he told, he was _not_ a normal boy.

Heavy lids slid open, bright orbs of blue squinting up at the darkened ceiling. He lifted a heavy arm over his head to turn his alarm to his lazy eyes.

The red letters listlessly flickered to 1:03 before his gaze.

Ah, the one good thing that came from his Thursday regime was that he was allowed to sleep in on Fridays. Thanks to Tsunade, of course.

Any which way, he had already moved so no doubt someone would be speaking though the P.A. system in moments, urging him to get ready.

He heaved a sigh and sat up, covers falling about his waist.

'Might as well assess the damage...'

His entire front was a giant smear of deep rust red. Dried and itchy, flakes of it littered about his pristine bedding. A lip was raised in light disgust. He may have experienced it countless times before, but it didn't make it any more appealing. At least a janitor would be cleaning his room today.

The blonde boy had to pry his legs from the stained sheets and stood up casually, not modest at all of his blatant nudity.

Stiff limbs were stretched, joints popping and cracking in a way fit to make most wince. He knew he must look a wreck, and also knew that there was someone watching him as he moved to the back of his bedroom, making for the door leading to his bathroom.

Sure enough, no sooner had the thought carelessly crossed his mind then a brisk feminine voice fizzed over the speaker implanted high in the wall, just as it did every morning.

'_Kyuubi. Instructions begin in half an hour. Be prepared.'_

He rolled his sapphire eyes. The doctors were so adamant against using his name. He'd been told from birth his name was 'Naruto', so why did so few people insist on calling him that?

His thin, tanned hand scratched at his navel in an irritated manner. Entering his pristine small bathroom he quickly reached into the shower, twisting the knob to make the water as hot as it could get.

He brushed his white teeth vigorously and took care of other morning activities while the steam in the room thickened. Once he deemed it ready, Naruto stepped under the scalding jets of water.

Naruto didn't necessarily always take showers as hot as these, but he'd learned that the blood came off more easily under extreme conditions. He'd take hot over cold any day.

Standing amidst his personal sauna he watched the blood on him come to life again, slinking down his lithe body in rivulets and pooling at his feet, tainting the water pink before washing silently down the drain. The hot water made his skin red and raw, but Naruto didn't pay it any heed. He wouldn't be able to feel it within a few minutes anyway.

Naruto throughly scrubbed his body and emerged a short while later, donning a towel from a shelf and tightly wrapping it about his narrow hips. It never took him long to shower, but he did so often. He liked to be clean and have control over that aspect of his life.

And the bathroom was the one place where they couldn't watch him.

He took a smooth hand and wiped the moisture from his plastic-mirror as best as he could, eyeing the lines adorning his face. No matter what he was told, he knew he was different. Different from the doctors around him, different from everyone. All he needed to do to was look in a mirror to see that.

Blue eyes drifted to the restraining collar taunt about his neck. Yes, he was quite different. He sighed as his reflection was once more claimed by the white mist surrounding him.

The boy stepped out from his small restroom, steam enshrouding him as a mere shadow in the haze. As the remnants of his shower cleared, Naruto shivered. He really detested the cold. It reminded him of needles and scalpels, of cold metal beds and harsh restraints. It was so cruel.

"Ah, Naruto." A voice said. Said teen turned to look at his care-taker -just below Tsunade-, Iruka. He'd always liked Iruka. He was a very mellow person. Quite caring also. Iruka was one of the first people -and only people- to accept him and treat him as a person, not some priceless china doll or some sort of animal. Nevertheless, he always felt an amount of guilt and shame whenever he saw the deep scar lining the older man's nose. He didn't remember the incident, but was eventually told of it. And it was just like Iruka to not blame him whatsoever.

"Get dressed and I'll take you to breakfast."

Naruto nodded and the dark-haired man turned around, facing the corner out of respect for his privacy. Naruto didn't need it of course, and Iruka knew that. After all, a boy who lived in a glass house couldn't be expected to be modest. Naruto was grateful for the kindness anyway.

He walked to his set of draws and casually withdrew the first set of clothes. He never had the luxury of choosing his own clothing, and all of the things he possessed were labeled in the same way; a swirl with nine lines surrounding it. He supposed it was in place of wearing a name tag, though everyone around here knew him by name and sight.

Drawing on his garments, Naruto made it over to the door, waiting patiently for Iruka to open it and allow him to leave. The scarred man looked distastefully at Naruto's bare feet. It was always fairly chilly here, what with it being below-ground and the need to maintain a sterile environment that was comfortable for all the hardware, yet Naruto rarely wore shoes. When questioned, the blonde would simply reply that they were too constricting for him and leave it at that. It didn't stop Iruka from worrying like a mother-hen over his health though, even if he knew that Naruto couldn't possibly become sick.

Running through the usual security measures, the two were free to the barren hallway. Trekking towards the other set of doors Naruto set pace beside his caretaker.

"Hey Iruka, what's planned today?" The boy asked. It wasn't that he was forgetful -though he tended to be on occasion- it was that his day-to-day schedule was nearly non-existent. One day he'd have history lessons -taught by Iruka, the next it could be something else entirely. He never made it a point to find out ahead of time. If it was important he'd be told.

Iruka pointedly avoided his charge's eyes as he opened the next doors.

"After you eat I'll take you down to the Sun-Room. You have a meeting at three."

The tone his senior had used caused Naruto to stop in his tracks.

"Meeting?" His voice wasn't questioning. It was stony and cold, trepidation inching in on him. 'They wouldn't do anything so soon, would they?'

"Yes." Iruka began apologetically. "You'll need to be at T.P. on time. I was told there is a possible client interested in investing in the company."

T.P. was the common term for 'Testing and Procedure'. His outlook grew darker. It was never a good thing to have to go to _that_ room. The exam room was horrible, yes, but it paled in comparison to this.

"I suppose I'll act the show-animal I am then." Naruto spat bitterly, fisting a hand at his side. Iruka looked at him with compassion, but didn't respond. He knew all to well what would happen that afternoon.

The two continued down the white expanse of hallway, bypassing the occasional person in a lab-coat who would stare at Naruto until he passed. Though he was used to it, he still felt very uncomfortable under their scrutinizing glares.

The scarred man led his charge to the door labeled 'Cafeteria', opening it and allowing him passage. Once both were inside Naruto followed dutifully to yet another door, this one marked 'Private'. The teen tried not to notice how all motion had stopped in the very white room, cups frozen half-way towards mouths and at least a dozen sets of eyes trained on him.

Gulping nervously he passed through the door and sighed gratefully when it was closed behind him. He knew life continued the instant he was out of sight, occasional people whispering to each other about what they had witnessed. Thankfully, this new area was devoid of all persons aside from himself and his mentor.

The particular room he was in was his personal dining room; partially because of the spectacle he had just gone through and partly for his own safety -but mainly through Tsunade's insistence- Naruto ate in a separate room. Naturally it was expected that very few would be dining here at any one time, so there was a simple circular silver table in the center, four silver chairs surrounding it. Upon said table was a bowl of fruit and a heaping plate of pancakes. He hadn't noticed it before but Naruto was famished, as he always was after his exams.

Both of them sat down, Naruto digging in ravenously and Iruka casually thumbing through papers on a clip board he extracted from the interior of his lab coat.

"Well, at least you don't have to listen to me ramble on about boring historic events for hours." he said, not even looking up from his paperwork.. Naruto was not amused and continued rifling through his meal, suddenly none-too-eager to continue on with his day. The older man took note of this but refrained from commenting.

"Iruka...what's the weather like today?" Came a morose young voice. The care-taker looked up, perturbed. "I...I just want to know what everyone feels outside." Receiving no answer, the youth redirected his angle. "Heh, silly, I know. Just forget I said anything." And though he tried to cover it with a laugh, Iruka could see the sadness, the desperation, welling behind those crystal blue spheres.

"It's horrible out. Rainy and cold. I guess that's how the weather works in November." He said, amazing even himself with how fluidly the lie came out. It was actually quite bright and crisp outside.

If Naruto didn't believe his fib he didn't call him on it and polished off the last of his breakfast, blatantly ignoring the cup of milk set aside for him. "Well," he stood. "I guess it's time to get me ready for my doom."

Iruka rolled his eyes at the boy's melodrama but got to his feet anyway. "We need to go to the Sun-Room first, remember?"

"Ah, how could I forget." 'Kyuubi' said, waiting for the door to open and strolling proudly past the quieted room once more behind the brunette. When once more in the sanctity of the hallway they continued on, charge following mentor down the narrow passageways. The security became more and more lax as they proceeded through separate halls and armored doors. Naruto was getting more and more anxious.

He wasn't scared of being tested, not really. He'd done it before. It hurt, yes, but it was nothing that wouldn't heal...it was more of the emotions he got afterward. It was more of how horrifying the blank gaps in his memory were. It was more of the terrified eyes watching him, stun-guns and the like at the ready. No, it wasn't just the pain.

Even more than being afraid, he was angry. It was eerie how easily someone could accept a life that was so abnormal when they'd been living it for so long. He'd known nothing but this life of tests and servitude, but when he saw these people from the outside, for however brief a time, staring at him in such pure, unadulterated fear. They watched him like he was some sort of beast, a _monster_.

But then again, that's what he was. A monster. One of a kind.

Well, maybe not singular. He remembered once being told that there were others like him. Eight of them, in fact. He himself was simply the newest one. Tsunade had told him in a moment of her anger that he was their only successful project.

Naruto recalled, as a child, he'd once played with a boy his age. It was the only time that'd ever happened. He'd been a juvenile, perhaps a tad older than he was at the time, with striking green eyes and tufts of red hair. The identification marks on his clothes was a simple dash mark. The caretakers had called him 'Shukaku'. One day they stopped bringing him to see Shukaku. When Naruto, still young, had asked what had happened to him, Tsunade had quieted him, telling him not to bring it up again. He hadn't.

During his musings Iruka had led him to the aptly named 'Sun-Room', unlocking it and allowing him with a simple key from a ring. Iruka had a whole ring-ful of keys. More then he needed, Naruto assumed, but Iruka was like that. He held onto everything incase he'd ever need it.

Out of all the places Naruto was given access to, the Sun-Room was probably among his favorite. There were no nasty looks, no eyes staring at him, only a single camera. There weren't even any cruel objects in the room. It was, for all intents, a miniature spa. And it was all for him.

The woman who kept this room was named Shizune, a friend of his on a more personal level than most of the people here. She was good friends with Tsunade and about Iruka's age.

The duo walked in, Naruto greeting her happily and Iruka timidly standing back, waiting by the door with a small blush on his features. It didn't take a genius to notice that Iruka had a thing for Shizune.

"Naruto!" The woman admonished gently, her short, black hair falling around her ears. "You need to come down and visit me more often! I hardly ever see you anymore."

He laughed, placing a hand behind his head. "Yeah I know. I'll try to come down more." They both grinned, but they both also knew that he came down here when he was ordered down here, no more or less.

"Alright," Shizune gestured to the cheery expanse behind her. "What'll it be?"

The main purpose of this room, and it's namesake, was a specially designed machine meant to give Naruto a supplement for sunlight. It provided UVB ultraviolet rays, both giving Naruto a lusciously tanned look and allowing him to produce the normal amount of vitamin D. Aside from that there were various things about the room to keep up Naruto's appearance. Whenever he was deemed needy of a haircut he was sent down here and Shizune made quick work of his locks. There were also occasions where he would have his nails properly trimmed, and in the past he'd had laser epilation. He had perfectly smooth skin, free of flaws and, aside from his head, free of hair.

That was what was expected of a show-animal.

It was Iruka who answered for him. "Uhm...Naruto just needs sun treatment today."

Shizune smiled, though she looked a bit put out. "Oh, too bad. I love playing with Naruto's hair. It's so nice." Said boy smiled and ruffled his blonde mop self-consciously. "Well then. You know the routine."

Indeed he did. Naruto stripped for the second time that day, tossing his clothes distractedly on a chair and stepping forward to a small cabinet glowing blue. From inside here he withdrew two small eye-covers. He walked to the corner of the room where a large mechanism was located. It was made up of two large sized blacked-out panes, both of which curved outward into a loose semi-circle shape, set opposite each other with enough space in between them for a human to stand. These were held aloft by a craning mechanical arm reaching over and fastened to the wall.

As he took his place and secured his eye-plugs properly Shizune was making small noises of annoyance and righting his messy clothes. She really was a lot like Tsunade.

"Are you ready, Naruto?" She asked, stepping over to her brightly colored desk, ornamented graciously with pictures and even a potted flower.

"Whenever you are, Shizune." The blonde called. The dark-eyed woman placed a set of sunglasses on her face, checking to be sure the scarred man had done likewise, and then typed a strain into her computer.

The sun machine sprung to life, formerly black glass glowing brightly and both pieces circled Naruto quickly with a loud humming noise. The operation stopped after it had made two full rounds, lights dimming and flickering out.

"Alright Naruto." Shizune said, reaching for the oppressive glasses. "You're set."

He gratefully stepped out from under the claw, plucking the buds from before his eyes. It was so stuffy in that thing.

As he set about putting his clothes back on -and grunting at the fact that they were neatly folded- he began to get tense. He hoped, at least, Tsunade would be there. Iruka wasn't allowed in rooms when such testing went on anymore. Tsunade was the only one who really cared whether he lived or died during these things. He especially hated Orochimaru. Forget it being his job or responsibility, that man took _pleasure_ in causing him pain. There was a sick twist to his lips and a gleeful look in his eyes every time a blade pierced Naruto's tanned skin.

"I hope I'll see you soon, Naruto!" Shizune waved. "Bye Naruto, Iruka."

Naruto waved a hand in parting, whereas Iruka flushed and managed to mumble a farewell.

Each step forward brought him closer to his wing and caused his trepidation to grow. And anger. There always seemed to be an underlying anger now. Security gate through security gate they passed, both Iruka and Naruto abnormally quiet. It was only when they were outside of the T.P. room and Naruto was breathing heavily that Iruka broke the silence.

"I guess it's time then, Naruto." he said. Sympathy was clear in his expression. He may have not been allowed to witness it, but he knew what would happen. Naruto didn't answer. "Tsunade should be waiting inside. I'll meet up with you tomorrow."

In a whorl of beeping and scraping Iruka opened the door for him before stalking off to take care of his duties.

'Well then', he thought. 'Let's get wild.'

It was time to put on a show.

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

Post Note: Yep. That's it for this chapter. And I promise Sakura comes into play soon. Did anyone recognize Naruto's old playmate? Hehe. I was originally going to make the next chapter a continuation of this one, but figured it'd be better if I broke it up into two. Either way, expect that soon. 3.

Please review if you read this. Even if it just one word or a flame. :)

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

-hanyoupup


	3. Bestiality

A/N: I'm utterly and totally surprised with how quickly I updated this. In fact, I wrote this entire chapter in one single sitting. Everyone inspired me so much in their reviews, so this chapter is wholly because of and dedicated to all of you, readers and reviewers. Unfortunately, there seems to be an error with review alerts, and I might not have been able to read your review just yet, so if you had a pertinent question and you don't see an answer, I apologize.

As I said, the last chapter's reviews made me feel just _wonderful_. You people really made my day, so please please _please _review!

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

**:x:**

**:x:**

_Artifice: 1. n. Subtle but base deception._

_2. n. A deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture._

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Artifice **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Chapter Three**

**:x: **

**Bestiality**

**:x: **

**:x: **

Without Iruka standing beside him, Naruto felt a cool sensation in the bottom of his stomach, like a dark pit. He'd only done this about a dozen times before, but he remembered each event-or as much as possible, at least- in vivid color.

As soon as the door was fully opened, a slender hand reached out to grab his own. Tsunade. For that he was extremely glad; without her Orochimaru was rampant to do as he pleased.

"This way, Naruto." She said briskly. For all outward appearances she treated him with the same cold detachment as everyone else. That was when they were in plain view. Alone, she was actually quite sweet with him. It was because of those instances that he never took offence when she treated him this way. Nevertheless, he was grateful for the gentle squeeze she gave his hand.

The busty woman led him to the middle of a large square room, blaring with bright white lights. There, innocent enough, was a metal chair inside a glass box, a few small holes decorating the ceiling. Surrounding that and lining the walls were various machines of generally minimal importance to him. They beeped and whizzed, dully listing off statistics in their bright text. The wall facing the chair wasn't a wall at all. In fact, it was just a gigantic viewing window made of what he was sure triple or more insulated bullet-proof, shatter-proof glass; the same as the box enclosing the chair. There were cameras in all the corners and aside from Tsunade, two inconsequential scientists, all wearing the token lab-coats.

He was led toward the chair, a door opening in the plastic with a hiss, and directed to remove his shirt and take a seat while Tsunade moved behind him and out of eyesight. Once more half-nude, Naruto could feel himself start to shake and his heart beginning to thump madly. And, once an assistant had attached the small electrocardiogram receivers to his chest and neck, he could hear the muscle pounding also in a madding array of frequent bleeps.

Safety and precaution were always a big issue during these shows. Not for him, naturally, but for the employees and the 'guests'. That was why there were inch-thick chains connected to manacles tethered to the floor. Another attendant promptly went about securing Naruto's thin wrists and ankles in these, even clasping one about his neck-collar. The chains themselves were all of appropriate length, making it possible for him to sit in the chair. The same masked-man then heavily lifted each of Naruto's limbs, carefully clasping them into restraints built into the chair. Lastly, a clear muzzle was tied around his face made of thick plastic bars.

As his mind wandered, as it was wont to do when he was under pressure, he snidely figured that the seat they were strapping him into must've cost a fortune. Every part of it was solid titanium.

Once throughly restrained, Naruto the perfect view into the room adjacent from his, spotting the half-a-dozen chairs -far more comfortable than his, he noted ruefully- lined up, ready for occupants. Though he didn't see a door open, four people streamed into his sights, all taking their seats and watching him with those coldly detached eyes. Each set shone with an almost sadistic glee, and never before did he feel more like some sort of disgusting creature taken off the streets.

The first was a man; thick of stature and thicker of moustache. He was quite bald but didn't seem to notice and combed what little hair was left over his scalp in a highly un-flattering manner.

Next was a harsh looking woman, her dark hair strictly knotted at the nape of her neck and deep lines set around her black eyes. She had a dull dress-suit on, her gnarled hands set primly atop her tightly crossed and hoed legs.

Following her was a slightly more youthful man, possibly in his thirties, with chestnut hair and an overall aura of richness surrounding him. He carried himself with a prideful strut and neatly aligned himself in his seat as though he owned the building.

Lastly was someone who made him shiver.

A short-ish man just a few years his senior, leaning lazily against the glass and staring at him with lively, jovial indigo eyes. He, like all others in his class, was wearing an outfit of black; dark slacks and a casual inky top, the top buttons left undone. Embroidered upon his right breast pocket was a deep-red cloud design. He shifted and his long hair once more fell before his left eye in a blonde curtain, the ponytail restraining the rest of the mass tumbling over his shoulder.

This was Deidara, one of the higher-ups of the Akatsuki. There was no love lost between them.

Simply put, there were ten real leaders in the company. How all of them had gotten their jobs, Naruto couldn't be sure, but Deidara was one of them. Along with Tsunade and Orochimaru.

Actually, now that he thought about it, there were only nine in the group now.

Whereas most of the others were content to leave him be on the daily basis, Deidara was constantly seeking him out, occasionally wishing for nothing more than to infuriate the younger boy.

The door leading into his room was opened again, snapping him from his reverie as though cold water had been doused over his head.

In strolled, casual as can be, Orochimaru; wearing his own lab-coat as proudly as a kingly manteau, his pitch hair dancing over his narrow shoulders. At his heels was his puppy, Kabuto, constantly carrying a packet of papers of some sort, and today was no different; clutched to his chest like a lifeline was a bundle of documents

"Lady and gentlemen," The tall man hissed, sounding breathy and frail, as someone who never spent enough time doing anything remotely physical would sound. "I pray you know why you're here by now." At this he flourished to the room behind him, that eerie voice being carried over through a microphone and speaker carefully hidden somewhere. "This is the future. And my superiors and I wish to personally invite you to take part."

Amidst his deep breaths Naruto assumed Orochimaru stood in front of a mirror preparing speeches just like this, perfecting them and setting them to memory. It was a pity he was such a science fanatic. He would've made quite an actress.

"What you see before you is the highest in scientific technology bar none. No expense has been spared in creating the ultimate genetic research." Oh, the visitors were eating this up. Deidara rolled his eyes skyward. A few buttons were pressed and the restraints on his body tightened considerably.

"Behind me," he continued. "sits what is known as 'Project Kyuubi'. He is seventeen years old and has been receiving transcriptional splicing treatments with pre-made mutated DNA samples from birth." Perhaps Naruto would've been shocked to hear this had he not known already. "After various failed and...unsightly results, we have finally arrived at a near-perfect specimen. The only outwardly effects this process has taken on his body are three small facial-marks materializing. Quite extraordinary."

Orochimaru moved silently to a draw, procuring from within a large scalpel. He took his sweet time to glide into the cage with Naruto before once more addressing his viewers.

"In Kyuubi's case, we managed to create a sort of 'super-regenitive' gene using the RNA of a fox. Simply put, we added a branch to produce more protein and, by proxy, speed up healing exponentially."

To punctuate these words, pale hands brought the knife closer to his skin and all Naruto could do was stare ahead, watching the mildly interested faces of the three prospectors and the smug expression playing Deidara's features.

Vaguely, almost distantly, Naruto felt the cold metal pierce his flesh deeply, perfectly marring his flawless skin. It wasn't that he couldn't feel pain, for he certainty could feel the tearing of every ligament, but there comes a time when you just get _used_ to such things.

The stained blade made it's way down his chest; an even, straight line one foot long, crying red. The gash was deep enough to release a sickening amount of blood which neatly flowed down the wound, pooling at, and certainly destroying, his pants.

"You witness this," Orochimaru breathed. "a wound deep enough to incapacitate most. Now watch as, without prompting, it rights itself."

Still impassive, Naruto continued staring stoicly ahead as his cells reformed below, healing in a rapid path and leaving nothing but a lingering trace of blood.

"That was the original goal of our studies. To allow rejuvenation. Imagine our delight when we realized we'd discovered much, much more. For instance..."

The knife was brought to his skin again, and as his eyes began to water slightly from lack of blinking, Naruto couldn't help but wonder how pointless it was for him to have gotten his sun-treatment at all. This time, rather than puncture smooth skin of his abdomen, Orochimaru took care to tenderly slice at the jugular vein jutting from his neck.

More than the last cut, this one created a sting along his spine, following down to his arm for a brief flash. There was an immediate numbing sensation as he could see, despite looking forward, the blood -so dark it was almost black- pour continually from new orifice in torrents. Though it took a bit longer, this too closed itself up; new skin forming and stemming the crimson liquid's flow, the red haze before his eyes lifting as though it was never there to begin with.

"As you can see, even mortal injuries are hardly an issue for Kyuubi's makeup. After exploring the options of paths we could take with this we decided on creating every nation's dream. May I present to you the ultimate soldier. Imagine something like him in a war! He'd be all but indestructible. To that end, we've gone so far as to even adjust the fox's genes once more. Observe."

To Naruto's great relief, Orochimaru left his cell, motioning for Tsunade to move in. The boy knew that Tsunade requested this job specially; if given to Orochimaru he would no doubt take great pleasure in tweaking things to catastrophic ends.

Lightly stepping into his confines, Tsunade spared him a tender look before leaning over and driving a large, thick needle into the median cubital vein, right at his elbow. She injected the syringe's worth of red, thick fluid into his bloodstream and quickly backed off, the door closing and locking as she passed through the threshold.

Immediately Naruto could feel the difference. There was a loud buzzing of machines; the EKG sounding haywire.

Inside his head Naruto heard voices mumbling insistently. Some whispering, some yelling. He wished to take his hands and grasp his head, to yell and scream. They grew bolder and he began breathing erratically, his heart-beat thumping loudly in his own ears.

His hands grasped the arm-rests of the chair tightly, veins bulging. He swallowed thickly, feeling the change he so hated take flight.

First was the alteration of his hands; fingers lengthening , knuckles popping and readjusting, sinister claws forming from nails.

He snarled; an unconscious act of impulse, fangs scraping against the barrier the muzzle provided. Known but unseen to him, blue eyes bled red, pupil elongating to an animalistic display. The thin tattoos adorning his cheeks thickened and became feral.

His thoughts became unclear and muddled, and Naruto found it hard to recall just what was happening around him. All he was aware of were the constricting bindings pinning him down.

He growled and thrashed and raged. Knuckles turned white and blood trailed down his chin from where he'd bitten clear through his lower lip.

With a straining noise and a distinct pop the shackles and chains harnessing his arms and heads came undone, clattering uselessly to the floor. He next, grinning maliciously, reached down to make quick work of his leg cords.

"And you see, my friends, the dawning of a new day. With this power and technology the very world could be in our grasp. What you're now seeing is enough sedation gas to expire three adult elephants..."

A small hole had opened in the floor beside the ravaging Naruto and was pouring out a pink gas. The boy breathed deeply and abruptly dropped his attempts at escape, collapsing in a heap on the floor, feet still awkwardly attached to the chair.

He got one last look at the undiluted horror in the patrons' eyes before the world went black and he saw no more.

----------------------------------------

When Naruto awoke it was with a large, pounding headache, one felt through the whole body and epicentering right at the temples. His extremities were quite sore and he hoped with all his might that he did not do something he would later regret during one of his lapses in memory.

He didn't quite feel like it, but he knew he needed to open his eyes sooner or later, particularly to find out the time.

There was a bright light filtering in from outside his eyelids, which puzzled him. His room was never this bright...which must mean he was still being exhibited.

He sat up with a start, panting and looking around him wildy.

"Relax" A lazy voice drawled from above him. "It's just you and me here."

Trying to calm his racing heart, Naruto looked up and saw Tsunade's pale face watching him. Her manicured hands were weaving themselves through his hair in a soothing manner, almost subconsciously.

His head in her lap, they were both sitting on a bed of grass, surrounded by lovely flowers of impossible beauty. He gazed his azure eyes over his form, taking note of his new clothes and clean appearance and -this thought gave him a smile- his bare feet.

They were in his favorite room in the compound, ranked higher even than his own abode.

It was the Courtyard, and he was strictly forbidden from ever entering without Tsunade or another member of the 'Ten' escorting him. Tsunade was the only one who would take him here, what with how he enjoyed it.

It obviously wasn't a room made for him to take pleasure in, more likely for the recreation of workers or, and this was far more likely, the success of another experiment.

Aptly named 'Courtyard', it was simply a large circular room; a cobblestone pathway leading from the doors to the middle where there was a decent sized fountain spewing water from a cherub's lips. Surrounding the rest of this entire area were thousands of flowers, far more radiant than what real flowers ought to look like. They were in every shade of the rainbow, perfectly spaced and each petal shining like a sun. They were perfect.

They were fake.

Sure, the flowers were alive, but it was a sustained life. They didn't feed off of sunlight, and only the tiniest amount of water was needed for their success. Rather, large rows of lamp-light glowed benignly down on them from above, a weak replacement for natural rays.

There was not a single camera to be seen in this room; no one watching, no one listening.

"Things went well." The woman said, now gazing serenely at the surroundings. "The company seems very interested in investing, which understandably has everyone busy right now. Making negotiations, preparations, the like."

Yet she was still there, with him.

"After you fell asleep I was allowed to escort you out. I got you cleaned up and took you here. That was a few hours ago."

It hurt to speak, but he forced the words out anyway. "I didn't...I didn't hurt anyone, did I?"

Brows furrowed, she froze. After uttering a small sigh, she replied. "No, no you didn't."

That was a relief, then. There had been quite a few injures from his behalf, both before and after Iruka. Injuries, causalities. He wasn't often told of the details, though.

"Naruto," she whispered brokenly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

His eyes widened when he felt a drop of water splatter on his forehead. Followed by another, and another. Tsunade was crying...?

"Please! Can you ever forgive me!"

Shifting uncomfortably, he sat up and tentatively placed his arms around her, feeling her go slack with shock.

"I don't blame you, Tsunade. You know that." He felt he should, and he even wanted to, but Naruto couldn't bring any tears to his own orbs.

The pigtailed woman wasn't satisfied with this answer. "No! How can you be so placid about this! How can you not _hate_ me! You have every right and reason to..."

Naruto, for his part, didn't quite know how to answer this, so he settled for hugging her to him tighter. Was this what it felt like to have a mother...?

"I...I want you to be free, Naruto. I want it so badly."

This murmured statement, full of insinuation, caused his eyes to widen.

"I've been thinking," She mumbled into his shirt. "I'll help you to escape. It won't be easy, but I think you could pull it off..."

Could he really? He'd grown so used to life like this...it was all he knew. The outside world...all he understood of it was that which he had either heard second-hand or read in a book...should he be terrified? No, it wasn't terror he was feeling. It was excitement. His skin was pulsing with it, breath hitched in his lungs.

"Listen. They can't hear us here, so this will need to be quick." Tsunade pulled back, brown souls searching blue. "Tomorrow, at nine p.m. I'll manage to get the power turned off. That will be the easy part. At precisely that time, you'll need to be in elevator 7-B going up, in between every five floors is an emergency exit shaft. You'll only have about two minutes before the backup generators kick-in, so you'll need to knock out your guard and leave through the elevator hatch, taking off through one of those shafts. It'll be dark out by then, so you can use that to cover your ground."

She said this so breathlessly, so imploringly, that Naruto felt there could be no flaw in her plan.

"Here," His tutor passed him a small slip of paper and some bills, which, due to lack of pocket, he carefully tucked into the waistband of his pants. "On that is the address of a...an associate of mine. I haven't been able to give him word yet, but I am positive he'll allow you to stay with you for a time. There is a reasonable amount of money there also, should things go awry. I'll find you within ten days. Be ready."

She stood up, taking him with her, and stalked off to the exit, as though their previous conversation hadn't just happened. If it wasn't for the minute itch of paper irritating his skin, he wouldn't've believed it had either.

No more words were exchanged between them that night, he was dropped off at his room where he comfortably settled himself in bed, unable to think of anything but what the sky looked like, and if buildings really rose as high as books said, and, dare he think it, of other people his age. People who wouldn't know what he was, who wouldn't treat him any differently.

When he finally fell asleep some hours later, it was with nothing short of an ear-splitting grin on his face.

'Everything begins tomorrow.'

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

Post Note: Aha. Another chapter down! Yes, yes. I miss Sakura also, BUT! I assure she'll be around very shortly. While I like this chapter, I hope I portrayed Naruto as vicious enough when in his enraged form...he is still a human in a totally human world, so I couldn't realistically have him sprouting tails and creating tsunamis and whatnot...I'll delve more into it in the story, I think. And yes, for those wondering; Artifice takes place in what could be roughly modern, perhaps a bit futuristic, times in some un-named country. Just to be generic. So no ninja here, sorry. XP.

It was my first time every writing Deidara in any story! He's so cute and cuddly! There was some back-explanation of the Akatsuki in general, and I assume that most people should catch on to the gist of it by now.

Please review to implore me to put out another speedy update:)

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

-hanyoupup


	4. Defection

A/N: Schoolwork is just a blast, I tell you. There were a considerable amount of things I wanted to incorporate into this chapter, but didn't quite know how. By and by, though, I feel like it came out the way it was supposed to. In other news; Naruto fillers are ending! Woo woo! I've been so psyched about it! Ok, this is the chapter everyone has been waiting for: Enter Sakura!

Wow guys, I got over THIRTY reviews for last chapter! I was -and am- just blown away and ecstatic about that. I sincerely hope that you guys can keep it up and review to keep me this happy XP. Also, this story was added to the amazing Heaven and Earth's 'Great NaruSaku Fic Listing II'. Wonderful people there, so that psyched me also. Thanks guys :D.

Also! This chapter is a belated birthday present for Naruto! I've been swamped with schoolwork lately, so I couldn't get it out on time, but I'm happy just the same. This was also Naruto's worst birthday ever; new filler arc announced on his birthday. How horrible. D:.

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

**:x:**

**:x:**

_Artifice: 1. n. Subtle but base deception._

_2. n. A deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture._

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Artifice **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Chapter Four**

**:x: **

**Defection**

**:x: **

**:x:**

Naruto was allowed to sleep in again Saturday, for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, he awoke at eleven on the dot, hastily shifting from the covers. He was far too excited to remain laying there.

He rose languidly, hoping to ease the stiffness in his muscles through brief stretches. It didn't work, but it helped to remove some of the excess energy he was feeling.

To think this could be the last time he would ever have to get up from this bed...

The usual woman alerted him when his mentor would arrive, but to him it lacked any meaning.

He was no longer 'Kyuubi'. This time tomorrow he could finally call himself Naruto. The thought alone was outrageous.

Naruto padded into his bathroom, once more repeating his mundane morning tasks.

If he were to be leaving tonight as he hoped, he wondered if he should bring anything.

Removing his pants, he heard a shuffle as the wad of papers fell to the clean white floor. Lifting them he carefully hid the bundle within a pant leg.

He wouldn't need money at least, which was a very good thing.

Aside from his books, Naruto didn't have many possessions. The drab clothes he was supplied with...a few other things, but none of which he would need or want in the outside world.

The warm jets of water relaxed him, but couldn't stop his skin from tingling in anticipation. Tsunade had set up the hard parts, but there were definitely things to be done on his own behalf.

The main issue was actually being in the elevator on time. On Saturday some no-name normally escorted him to his various classes. An even bigger problem than that was that he was curfewed to his quarters by ten p.m., supposed to be in bed by eleven. Roaming about at nine would prove difficult...

To his limited understanding, his lair; this entire laboratory, was about twenty flights below the ground. That was what he'd been distractedly told by Iruka some time ago. Naruto also knew that there were only ten floors of this compound; he had access readily to five of them, and had only been on the sixth a handful of times -generally when Akatsuki had stern words for him. That said, he assumed that he should try to get to the fifth floor by nine. Then the elevator would halt, he could jump the shaft and presumably run up the stairs. Fifteen whole flights.

The water began to run luke against his skin and he hurriedly donned a towel, stuffing the money into his wad of dirty clothes, Naruto took careful route towards his dresser. Practical clothes, practical clothes...

Light denim jeans and a long-sleeve white tee-shirt. That was practical, right?

He shrugged them on, along with his favorite pair of boxers. The pants were a bit too large and hung low, but so was the shirt so he supposed it made up for it.

The doors to his room were opening, and Naruto cast one more look around. This was the place he grew up, and though he had plenty of bad memories here -far more than a boy his age should have for certain- it was his home for seventeen years.

"Kyuubi, you're on a tight schedule today. Do hurry."

Naruto turned and saw his proctor for the day. Ah, Ebisu. The shortish man who wore sunglasses even in this fake light and saw himself heads and shoulders above everyone else. Especially Naruto. What a fun going away present. It could've been worse.

It could've been Deidara.

And at the very least, Ebisu was fairly simple minded. Enough so to trick for sure.

He stepped through the threshold and gazed stoically forward as the metal was sealed behind him.

It was only a few minutes later that Naruto realized that he had forgotten his shoes.

He'd take his steps into freedom barefoot, and when he thought about it, he wouldn't want it otherwise.

:x:

:x:

Lunch had been as uneventful as ever and before he knew it it was already post-noon. Ebisu had snippily informed him that there were no regular lessens planned for the day and he would be taken back to his room. Panicked, Naruto stuttered out the first thing that came to mind.

"The gym! I haven't been there in a few days...I'm sure no one would mind."

The black lenses reflected his eager expression as Ebisu seemingly sized him up.

"I suppose you haven't." He said, taking a moment to push the glasses up further on the bridge of his nose. Naruto knew what Ebisu was thinking. Virtually all of the adults here despised the relationship Tsunade had with Naruto, Ebisu included. He probably thought Naruto wanted to visit with her. "Very well. I'll escort you there and leave you in the care of whoever is on duty -Tsunade is otherwise engaged today."

That last part was definitely meant to bother him, but Naruto didn't heed in the least. He needed to stay out of his room until nine.

The gym was relatively close to the cafeteria, so the journey was a quick one. Ebisu hardly waited for the door to open before shoving Naruto through the frame and taking off.

When Tsunade wasn't supervising it normally meant that Maito Gai was in charge here. Gai was another person who held a nice attitude towards him. Still, Gai was quite...zealous about training.

And that was using the word loosely.

Sure enough, the tall, well-built man was beckoning him over, straight teeth gleaming in a grin.

The gym was, as one might expect, simple. There were various work out machines, weights, a good sized swimming pool and the changing rooms. Everything was a tone of white or silver and it all looked -and smelled- very sterile.

"Naruto!" Gai bellowed. "It's been been a while! Have you come to practice the art of youth?"

The boy smiled, nodding briefly and trekking to the male dressing area. Gai was nice to everyone. The only reason Naruto could guess for his not being fired for that was his amazing resume. If there was something to be done athletically with the body, Gai had done, and probably mastered, it.

After securing his garments in a locker and changing into sports attire Naruto stepped into a far corner of the vast gymnasium where Gai was waiting for him. They had the entire center to themselves.

Aside from his required hours per week, Naruto spent a decent amount of time here. Working off stress, frustration. It was easy to lose oneself in the rhythm of running or submerged underwater.

The corner he was heading towards consisted of a large wrestling mat and a few pieces of gear set onto the wall.

"You're ready then?"

Naruto hummed and got into position; a defensive stance towards one end of the mat. Gai moved into a much more offensive posture. A word later and they took off towards each other, exchanging a flurry of blows, blocks and dodges. After a few minutes the blonde found himself flying backwards, landing heavily on his back. Gai and Tsunade always bested him in sparring matches, but he was still quite adept at giving them a run for their money at least.

Gai gazed at him proudly. "Ah, Naruto. You're one of my most prized pupils. Even the time spent with Tsunade is seen in your fighting. Combining kick-boxing with jujitsu is not an easy thing indeed. I must say; I truly look forward to our sessions together. Now then...Again!"

Naruto dusted himself off and stood up, once more in proper pose, a light smirk on his own lips.

:x:

:x:

Four hours -many more matches, weight training and some swimming- later and Naruto was once more showered and dressed, watching as Ebisu picked him up. Naruto took his time to say goodbye to Gai but his monitor seemed quite eager to leave.

In compassion to the gym, the hallways were cool and the teen wished he had a sweatshirt or something; he hated the cold.

By this time it was about four hours until the operation was to begin and Naruto had thought of something else to keep him occupied for as long as needed. Before the scientist could comment on anything, Naruto casually brought up another request.

"I think I want to go to the craft room."

Ebisu growled. He wasn't authorized to directly order Naruto to his room, and the boy was allowed access to many regulated rooms if he so desired, as long as it was within his recreational time. All Ebisu could do was follow him around.

A curt nod and they set off again. It was sad that the snobby man had to accompany him in the craft room, but well worth it in the end.

The craft room was another area he enjoyed. Cozy and always warm, it was full of art supplies. It was a class of Naruto's from when he was young. Back then he had learned technique and poise, now he was allowed to free-draw as he felt.

Through more doors and he happily took a seat at one of the workstations in the room. He collected various basic supplies -some paper and a pencil, and began to sketch. The glasses-wearer took a spot by the door, not even bothering to hide the stare, most likely a glare, in his direction.

Drawing was something the whiskered boy greatly enjoyed. When he drew _he_ could be the creator. He was the one in charge of what happened on his humble paper, and each line was lovingly stroked with impeccable care.

As a child he'd drawn simple things; animals he'd seen in books, his room, sloppy pictures of an angry Tsunade. As he matured he'd taken to realistic views on the things he held dear. Caricatures of anyone and everyone. Still lives, even sketches of people he'd never seen before, just off the top of his mind. A mother and her toddler, a group of teenagers having fun outside of a school. Anything within the realm of reason. He seldom if ever kept any of these. Once finished he'd leave them on the table and they'd be gone the next time he came.

This time the gentle wisps of graphite lines were forming a human face. Long and roughish- definitely male. As he continued he unconsciously added discerning features; buoyant, dark eyes and a large smile, thin wrinkles about the edges from laughter. Long, messy hair danced around the features, reminding Naruto of his own locks. For the final touch he added a splash of color, grabbing a red marker and tracing out two tattoos along the man's face, duel tear-lines curving under the jawline and out of sight.

After he was satisfied, Naruto observed the portrait with a critical eye. This person wasn't at random, it tugged at his memory just out of sight. Who was it...

Whatever train of thought he could've grasped was suddenly wrenched from him when a loud beeping noise filled the still room. A snap and the offending phone was answered.

"Hello?" It was funny how Ebisu lost that haughty tone in his voice when talking to anyone but Naruto. He was suddenly polite and standing upright, as though whomever he was talking to was watching.

_'Then again,'_ Naruto thought, spying cameras blaring down at them. _'someone is.'_

"Yes. He's here with me, sir." Of course the call was about him. "Certainly, I'll bring him right away. Thank you, sir."

An instant change in demeanor and Ebisu was back. "You're required by Akatsuki."

Naruto's eyes widened and he hastily glanced at a clock. Seven forty-three. Damn, this would cut it close.

He kept a fast pace on his way to the elevator, impatiently awaiting each door to be opened. If Deidara called him up just because he was bored again...

Once in the lobby Naruto carefully made his way to the seventh elevator in the second row.

7-B.

If his plan worked everything should be fine.

He hoped.

Both of them filed in, Ebisu setting the destination to floor six. Cameras watched their movements from the corners of the tiny box. Trying to be inconspicuous Naruto eyed the distinct lines forming the escape hatch along the ceiling.

All too soon for his liking, they pulled to a halt, stepping out into the opulent hall that lay beyond.

Carpeted in deep red, dark mahogany wood doors and an overall feeling of wealth, it was obvious that a different caliber of people resided on this particular level. The only room Naruto had been to was four doors down from where he was, on the right. Deidara's office. Therefore he was rightly surprised to be led to the left, a whole eight doors. Their footsteps muffled by the plush rug, he reveled in the feeling of it between his toes.

The short man opened the door for him, gesturing him inside. Naruto went with hesitation.

At it's base this room closely resembled Deidara's; a continuation of the deep colors, abundant in reds especially. However, where Deidara's had lots of artsy items strewn about -mostly small statues- this room had real _class_.

Crystal lighting fixtures, golden decor, expensive-looking artifacts...the couches in here -for the entire area was a bit larger than his own bedroom- were all of a stark black leather, a fine glass coffee table in between. Dominating over the space was a vast wooden desk.

Sitting at that desk, in a high-backed chair of superb craftsmanship, was a man he recognized as an Akatsuki leader. Kakuzu. He was in charge of finances, if Naruto remembered correctly. He was a tall man, probably at about six and a half feet. Wide shoulders accentuated the charcoal dress-shirt across his torso, the symbol of a red cloud adorning the right pocket. A matching red tie fell across the front of his chest.

He was a man of dark skin pallor, an almost gray shade even. Pale eyes sternly watched his every move and black cropped hair was professionally swept back from his face.

"Naruto." The giant greeted in a deep, monotonic voice. "You're probably wondering why I've called you here."

He didn't answer, standing stiffly at a reasonable distance from the intimidating man.

A higher, more childish voice sounded from the corner. "Of course he is, Kakuzu. The little runt couldn't figure anything out on his own, that's for sure."

Deidara was looming behind him, arms crossed and a jaunty tweak to his lips. Naruto allowed himself a scowl. How he _loathed_ Deidara.

"What's wrong Naruto? As though I'd pass up the chance to visit with _you_! Tell him, Kakuzu!" Here he laughed insanely, eyes glimmering. "Tell him the wonderful news!"

Naruto's head, as though at a tennis match, was bobbing back and forth, growing trepidation pitting in his stomach.

"Calm down, Deidara. All in good time." With a chuckle he continued. "Might I congratulate you on a job well done. Those investors were both very rich and very interested." A grin here. "_Very_ interested."

Deidara burst in with glee. "You should have heard them on my end! 'What a monster!' they cried! 'He's a demon!' You put on the most entertaining shows, Naruto!"

None of this boded well at all.

"In fact, they enjoyed it so much that they desire you for their own." Kakuzu rumbled. "With a proper donation on their part, we, the Akatsuki, are lending you to their weaponry company for tests and experimentation. Imagine combining our genetic power and their machinery? It will be amazing."

"Yes, amazing indeed!"

Despite the deep desire to do so, Naruto resisted taking a step back. Both of the adults were laughing in a most maniacal way.

"They've made proper preparations for you, and you'll be sent there tomorrow afternoon. May I suggest you dress warmly; their main factory is quite far North."

Deidara giggled and wrapped an arm around Naruto. "Hehe, you know what this means don't you brat? No more Tsunade to stick up for you! Gyaha! You can damn well bet they won't be going easy on you, boy!"

"A new dawn is rising over this world, Naruto. Akatsuki are the heralders and you are our grail. Now you'd best be leaving, there is a meeting we must attend."

Passing a cheekily waving Deidara, Naruto snuck a glance at an ivory clock. Eight fifty-four.

He hurried Ebisu again, briskly making it into the lift and back down to the bottom floor. As they were about to leave Naruto faked a sudden thought.

"Damnit! Ebisu, we need to go back up. I have something very important to talk with Kakuzu about."

The glasses regarded him cooly. "What could you possibly have to say to him still?"

For a heart-stopping moment Naruto didn't think he'd agree. It was to his unyielding relief when the man once more set the elevator to the red floor. Now he just needed to wait...

Each floor felt like a century and he couldn't help but doubt for a moment if Tsunade actually did it. A floor later and he felt like slapping himself. If no one else, Naruto trusted her. Another floor and he was breathing heavily, heart thumping painfully against his ribs. This was it...

Floor five reared when they suddenly jerked still. The lights flickered out and Ebisu failed in hiding a scream. For once in his life, Naruto was grateful for his heightened senses, particularly his night vision. Not nearly as clear as though in light, he could still make things out quite well.

He steeled himself and turned towards the cowering man, whom was currently reaching into his pocket for something.

Naruto had never intentionally injured someone while aware before, but for this he was prepared to. Fisting a hand he reared back and punched Ebisu square in the face, feeling the glasses -and possibly nose- break under contact and watching with disgust as he slammed against the wall heavily. He fell to the ground and didn't get up, a small bit of blood gathering around his face.

The teen swallowed thickly and reached up, stretching just enough to dislodge the small door. Crouching tightly he wound his muscles and leaped up, noisily grabbing the edge and hoisting himself over.

It was extremely warm and dusty on top of the elevator, even more so to Naruto who had never dealt with much dust in the first place, but he knew that time now was precious. Sparing just enough seconds to sneeze he gazed around. A few feet above his head and directly in front of him was a square hole in the wall. Another jump and he crouched under the stone arch.

He ran down the small passageway, panting for lack of air. After a minute or so, the area widened until there was a staircase before him; winding up, about facing and up again. It was these stairs he ascended, taking the steps two at a time. By the fifth set he was heavily gasping for air. His bare feet made an eerie slapping noise on the concrete floor, echoing relentlessly.

By the fifteenth flight Naruto was exhausted like he'd never been, hacking and wheezing. The stairs ended and there was another hall. The darkness here was less obtrusive, the air a bit clearer.

To him this felt like it had taken ages, but it could've realistically been more than five minutes.

At the end of his trek he saw a door take form, large and metallic. There was no window. Above the door was a large grouping of locks.

With trembling hands each one was undone, the noise one of the most terrifying things he'd ever heard. Once the last one fell Naruto grasped the handle, wrenching the door open.

The gust of cold air was unexpected, and so was the dim light. The heavy door slammed closed behind him and Naruto looked around, eyes greedily sucking in every detail.

He was in what must have been an alleyway, some inconspicuous trash cans laying nearby, empty. There was a building directly before him and a tall, barbed fence to the right but to the left nothing. Blue orbs immediately turned towards the sky, seeing a few stars winking down at him and a crescent moon dancing far out of reach.

Books, words, pictures...none of those could do this justice.

The air was clear and crisp, too frigid for his tastes but very different from what he was used to inhaling.

It was then that he heard a noise.

A person was running towards him, too far away to make out. From in their hand glowed a flashlight, briefly blinding him. Naruto was torn. Should he try to fight this one also for his freedom?

Yes, he would. Now that he saw the stars he wouldn't just let them go so easily. If he stayed he'd be sent away...

The shape came closer and Naruto readied himself.

Closer still and Naruto squinted at them. Was that...

"Naruto!" the voice whispered haggardly. "Oh thank God."

"Iruka..."

"The power is still out, they sent me to check the perimeter of the building. You...you're running away?" He looked distraught.

Naruto gazed at him regretfully. "I'm...sorry, Iruka. I'm leaving."

A few seconds passed by with no noise made but the wind.

Slowly, Iruka stepped to the side. He picked up the phone at his belt and flipped it open.

"I've just arrived at emergency exit three. Coast is clear."

A tear fell down Naruto's cheek before he turned and ran off, whispering a goodbye on the wind.

After leaving the alley and being sure to keep to the shadows, Naruto looked back at the building he'd spent his life in. Looming above him was a multi-level sky scraper, though it was far too dark to make out anything more. It still looked innocent to what it had actually witnessed.

He picked a random direction and took off, the sidewalk floor totally foreign against his flesh. All the buildings were so _vast_. Some were brightly alight with signs or glowing warmly from the inside.

He continued past them, still keeping as close to the darkness as he could.

:x:

:x:

He had no way to tell time other than the movement of the moon, but he was positive at least an hour had passed from his daring escape.

Already that seemed like ages past, the elation running through his veins, the adrenaline. All that was left now was a deep feeling of loneliness with perhaps a bit of fear.

It was so _cold_ out.

Naruto passed under a streetlight and fished out the piece of paper from his pocket. In Tsunade's neat scrawl was etched;

'114 Poet Lane

Apartment number 29'

He looked around him. Standing next to the lamp-post was a street sign, declaring him to be on '12 Ave.' How was he supposed to find this place? He hadn't run into a single person after Iruka...

Quite tired, Naruto continued on at a lethargic pace, arms wrapped about himself and toes numb.

He watched his feet as he huddled himself closer. How was Tsunade so sure that this person would take him in, anyway? This plan had sounded a whole lot more promising from back in his cage.

A shadow moved before him and he snapped his neck up. A few feet ahead of him a person was passing under one of the street-lamps. Their back was to him with a thick black jacket tucked securely around them.

Naruto strode forward once more, purpose in his step. Perhaps this person would know where to find that address!

He reached out a hand to tap the shoulder but didn't expect for the figure to turn around so abruptly.

Thoughts flew from his head as he gazed down into a set of wide green eyes.

It was a girl, probably about his age. She was a good five inches shorter than he was, and stared up at him with a red tinge to her pale cheeks from the cold. Short pink hair fluttered around her her gentle face. His breath left in a puff of white clouds.

Everything was quiet as they stared at each other, the night lights glinting above and the icy wind passing between them.

Books, words or pictures couldn't possibly do her justice either.

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

Post Note: Well, that was a fairly long chapter, I think. And a new Akatsuki member, ftw! Kakuzu is awesome! I was a bit saddened by having to 'humanize' him, as it were, but I feel it turned out nicely in the end. And there was the moment you've all been waiting for: Sakura! I had originally wanted to add her next chapter, but I felt as though you've all been waiting long enough so I rethought the layout. Naruto finally escaped, but you can be sure that there is much more to this story than that, so let's hope for something good and long!

Please please review :D I stayed up until 3+am on a school night to do this. T-T. Hehe.

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

-hanyoupup


	5. Encounter

A/N: Wow, a fast update. XD. I was really excited to push this chapter out and viola! This one came to me pretty easily too, so kudos for that!

I always say it; but I am so eternally grateful for all your input and reviews. Thanks SO much!

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

:**x:**

**:x:**

_Artifice: 1. n. Subtle but base deception._

_2. n. A deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture._

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Artifice **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Chapter Five**

**:x: **

**Encounter**

**:x: **

**:x:**

The girl's green orbs continued shining at him and Naruto was unable to speak. He knew there was something he was supposed to be saying, but his mind wouldn't formulate the sentences.

"Uh, are you okay?" She asked, her tone a chiming bell in the crisp air. He noted that she had a distinct accent on her words, something different in the way she pronounced her vowels.

A piece of bubblegum hair drifted across her forehead as she looked down uncomfortably.

"Well, I guess I'll be going then…"

This reorganized his thoughts. She made to leave, but he quickly caught her.

"Wait! Please don't go." He cringed as he heard his own voice crack. She stopped though, and looked back at him expectantly. The collar around his neck weighed heavily and he clenched his hands.

"I think I'm lost." He finally ground out; distracted by the way she worried her bottom lip with her white teeth. "I'm not from around here."

Instantly her face brightened, though he still noticed an obvious air of alertness around her. Meeting a stranger late at night like this, he couldn't blame her.

"Well if that's all, then I'm sure I can help! I've lived here my whole life." Here she giggled softly, his chest beating painfully. "Right now you're on 12th avenue, and if you follow this south you'll wind up on St. Barrett's Parkway. To the north you'll get the Intercity –but that's about half an hour away- and then if you take Hodgkin's you can get downtown."

She was talking amiably, a gentle smile gracing her expression. He should've been listening, but Naruto couldn't get his eyes off the way her jaw moved when she spoke.

"Did you get all that?"

Should he pretend he had? No, no. He needed to focus. Finding the apartment was his first priority here. He didn't want to have to sleep out in the cold.

"Um, no. Sorry." At this Naruto scratched the back of his head timidly, a welcome warmth flowing in his cheeks.

She looked at him in a reprimanding fashion, but there was still the easy happiness to her features.

"C'mon!" She sang in a whining manner. "You're the one who asked in the first place! At least try to be courteous to a lady!"

The paper was warm in his hand and Naruto hurriedly unfolded and held it up for her.

"I'm supposed to be here…" he said awkwardly. She leaned forward and inspected the small lettering, realization dawning.

"Poet Lane! That's a really fancy place! You must be pretty well off to be visiting someone there!"

A nod and then, "Do you know where it is?"

The girl scoffed, flipping her pink tresses over her shoulder and flashing a 'V for Victory' sign. "Of course I do! It's pretty close to here, actually. You take this road up about three streets, make a right and then keep going…Actually; I'm heading in that direction. I can walk you there."

Naruto blinked once, then twice. "Okay…" He sidestepped her, and with abrupt remembrance muttered out a 'thank you.'

She waved a hand at him in dismissal. "No problem. I'd rather not walk alone this late anyways."

They set off a few steps, her small heels clicking against the stone. His earlier assessment was correct; she was a fair amount smaller than he was. From under the over sized black coat two thin legs, clad in denim jeans, sprang. Her hair was cropped along her neck, most of it pushed back from her face with a red headband.

As the two walked she looked sideways at him, cheerily making conversation.

"I'm just getting off work now. They always hold me late there! I should probably just quit or something, but I really need the money for a car and college, you know how it is, I'm sure. And why are you wandering around so late?"

At a loss, Naruto gargled out some fake answer about just moving here and taking a bus to visit an old relative.

"Eh, you should've taken the bus a bit farther down the way! It would have saved you a lot of walking."

He didn't know what it was, but there was something in her intonation, in her very speech, that caused him to lose his train of thought and stare at her wide-eyed. "Haha, I guess you don't have a car either then. I've been begging my parents for one, but they said they'd only meet me halfway –that's the main reason why I'm working. My best-friend Ino lords over me with hers; she's been driving for a whole year already!"

She paused at a crossway and Naruto instinctively stopped with her. He was about to ask why they'd halted when something large sped by them, just a measly few feet away. He nearly lost his footing as he jumped back; watching the blur fade off into the distance with a rumble.

Once the shock was gone, he realized that must've been a car.

The automobile was invented by Karl Benz. This he knew. It was most often powered by gasoline and fossil fuels and worked with the aid of a internal combustion chamber. He'd seen pictures and videos. He knew what a car was.

He hadn't anticipated them being so fast or noisy in reality though.

"Whats'a matter?" the teenage girl asked, bend forward over the street to see what had disturbed him. "Oh! Yes, that's one of those new hybrid cars. They're so strange, right? I think I did the same thing when I first saw one."

He laughed uneasily and they continued on after a light changed from green to red.

"So you just moved here, huh? Well, it's nice enough but I hope you weren't looking for excitement! Everything is so boring here."

_'To you, perhaps.'_

"Well, where'd you come from?" She beamed sweetly at him, tucking a stray strand of hair back with gloved fingers. His eyes remained on that piece, watching as the breeze toyed with it stubbornly. He didn't think people had pink hair...

"Hello!" The girl waved a palm before his face, eyes peering up through loose bangs.

He schooled his features into the most apologetic look he could muster. "Oh, sorry. I guess I'm a little tired." It was true, also. For the life of him, Naruto couldn't recall a time he felt as weary as he now was. The day's events had really taken a toll on him, that was for sure.

"And? Where did you used to live?" She sure seemed generally interested in what he had to say. Her emerald irises were gleaming inquisitively and she had latched her hands together behind her back, a small skip in her gait.

"We move around a lot," he answered, in what he hoped was a nonchalant fashion. "I actually moved here on my own from the south."

"Ah! That would explain it!" She cried, raising a finger up understandingly. The way she was glowing made her seem as though she'd figured out the world's secrets.

"...What?" For the first time that night he smiled slightly. It was hard not to; hers was purely contagious.

She sighed exasperatedly. "Your looks, silly."

He brought a tanned hand to his head, self-consciously combing through his locks. He didn't think he looked strange...and, in all honesty, like she was one to talk. At least his hair was a natural color...

"What about them?" He hadn't meant to sound affronted, but judging by the rushing embarrassment she displayed he'd say he failed.

"Oh! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to offend you! It's just that your build is foreign." They passed under another street lamp, her contours highlighted by the new brightness. "You even have blue eyes! Wow!"

Was there something he was missing? As far as he knew, he didn't look out of the ordinary. Aside from his facial markings, anyways. He supposed he must've looked confused, because she hurried to elaborate.

"Nearly everyone around here has dark hair and eyes." She explained patiently. "In fact, I've only ever met one person with blonde hair and blue eyes before, and her grandparents came from out of the country. That's my friend Ino I was telling you about.

Naruto didn't know where in the world he was located at this point, but if what this girl said was true then he wasn't from around here. Just how had he come to be?

The next few minutes were spend in silence on his behalf, and nothing more than a light humming on hers. He felt peaceful like this.

His companion suddenly gasped, looking towards the floor astonished. "You must be freezing!" She cried. He was, but why was she just realizing that? "How come you're not wearing any shoes?! It's October, you're likely to catch your death!"

Not quite, he was never sick. But her concern was endearing. Now how to play this one off...?

"My sandals fell apart," He said sheepishly. "I figured I'd rather wear none at all than be lop-sided." It sounded believable enough to him.

Though she looked dubious she apparently accepted this anyway. "That's horrible. I hope your relative can lend you a pair when we get there. I'm freezing, and I'm dressed warmly!"

Without a thought Naruto's first desire was that he had a coat to offer her. As it stood, all he had was his shirt. He very much doubted she would appreciate her stripping to a half-nude state.

She led him to another corner and around a turn onto his destination; Poet Lane. The buildings, he noticed, had been getting progressively nicer; better quality, better materials.

A few steps more and they paused outside a large, but decently discrete looking, building. A well dressed man was standing apathetically outside the elaborate doors. Brass numbers beside these labeled it as number 114.

"Here we are." She needlessly declared, gesturing widely behind her.

Naruto felt a sense of awe, absorbing the feeling from this structure in waves. This is what he'd worked so hard to obtain. He'd done it. He'd won.

"It was nice to meet you. Bye!" She took off, once more huddling her jacket against the nipping freeze.

He looked up, alarmed. He tried to call out to her, but his voice was lost on the wind. Before he knew it, and all too soon, she was gone from his vision. For some reason that left an ache in his chest; a pain that, despite his decent medical knowledge, he couldn't identify.

He didn't even know her name.

Sighing morosely, Naruto trod over to the building, eying the strange doors warily. They seemed to be doors set in a circle-like structure. He moved towards them, carefully reaching out a hand, when a voice interrupted him.

"After eleven. Sorry but I can't let you in."

The man leaning against the side of the building had stepped up and barred his path, tiredly crossing his arms and a prominent slouch to his posture.

He was tall, a few inches taller than himself, and wearing a gray-blue uniform, adorned with sparse gold garnishes. His hair was long and messy, a black mop falling around his dark eyes and he had an equally dark patch of facial hair trimmed along his chin.

The man wasn't even remotely ominous looking, but Naruto took a cautious step back nonetheless.

"I have to see the person in apartment 29." He said. The black-haired man continued looking at him skeptically and Naruto hurriedly added a 'please'.

"I don't know what you want to see that old geezer for but you're more than welcome to buzz up, if you want."

When Naruto remained where he was the man elaborated. "You use this over here," He pointed to a dark mechanical box along the brick-work behind him. "and just press the button of the apartment you wanna call."

The blonde strode over and examined the object. It had plenty of buttons with numbers on it, and what looked to be a speaker and microphone unit. He sought out the number '29' and, once located, tentatively pressed in the switch.

A minute or so went by with no signal or answer. For what seemed like the hundredth time that day Naruto found himself doubting. Then from within the amplifier a crackly and garbled voice was heard.

"Ugh, who would be calling on me so late?! Unless you're a busty blonde I don't want to have anything to do with you!"

Behind him Naruto heard the man laughing to himself. He positioned himself and answered uneasily. "Um, I _am_ blonde, if that helps…"

"No! Kotetsu, you're horrible at your job! After all the times I've tipped you for simply being lazy too! Ungrateful!"

The bellman, Kotetsu, took a step towards Naruto. "Hey! He said he needed to see you!"

Figuring to stop this before it went too far, Naruto butted in. "Yes, I do. A woman named Tsunade sent me to see you…"

There was silence on the other end. After a moment the voice fizzed back. "Send him up, Kotetsu."

Kotetsu huffed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever his highness says." Turning to Naruto, he said, "You can head on in. Izumo in there won't stop you."

Following his advice, Naruto palmed through one of the glass doors, amazed when it pushed forward with him and, for a brief instant, terrified as he was enclosed within a glass pen. Within a second he was released from their hold, and the door went on revolving for a bit.

The inside was very stately; marble flooring, high arches, and delicate columns. There were a few wooden doors along the wall and a large desk opposite them. Most of all, it was quite warm, which Naruto was very grateful for. Leaning over the desk was who Naruto assumed to be 'Izumo'.

Izumo was, in comparison to Kotetsu, a few inches less. He was also a fair amount more pale. His brown hair, though shorter, was long enough to fall into his hazel eyes. He watched Naruto curiously.

The youth took his time along the trek to the shiny metal elevator, steadying his nerves. He was meeting more new people today than he could recall in the last five years.

The elevator board only went up to eighty, so Naruto figured he'd find his destination on the second level.

Shortly after pressing two the doors opened with a ping and Naruto found himself riding upwards on an elevator for the second time that night, though this one was a degree fancier than the previous.

The gateway cleared and Naruto left the small cube's subtle music, stepping into a lavishly carpeted hall.

He followed the doors down until he saw the one he wanted to his left.

Apartment 29.

Whoever it was, Tsunade obviously trusted him a great deal. Then again, he didn't know just what was about to befall him.

A deep, calming breath and a knock on the door. Nearly immediately it was pulled agape, a warm gust coming from within the abode.

Standing before him was a man a bit over six feet. He was well built with slim muscles showing from under his green tee-shirt. His sweats were black and he had slippers covering his feet. Long, back-length white hair frayed around his face, the rest of the unruly mane kept behind him in a tail. From beneath two stunned coal-black eyes poured twin inked red lines. Before him the tanned face drained of color.

Recognition flooded his mind and Naruto thought back to the drawing he'd done earlier that day. That and this man were one and the same. The man who had left Akatsuki around ten years ago.

"Jiraiya..."

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

Post Note: Mhm, I'm pleased with this 3. Two things that I just would like to clear up: Naruto's attitude towards Sakura in this chapter. I purposely portrayed him as almost idolizing her. Aside from the fact that he does in the series, there are other reasons. All of which will be explained later on. Secondly: Naruto's view on the world. At this point he's barely seen anything yet -in the dark, none the less. There are, I'd think, as many different reactions to something like this as there are people. When I picture Naruto, an optimist, I feel like he'd hold the outside world in high regard.

Aren't Izumo and Kotetsu adorable?! I wuffle them. So yep. They're there...and congrats to Soul of the Silver Phoenix for correctly guessing who Tsunade sent Naruto to! E-shout.

Well, once more I implore you all to please review. They're _all_ immensely appreciated and I can't begin to tell any one of you how wonderful they make me feel. (And incite me to write!)

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

-hanyoupup


	6. Contact

A/N: Wah! Here we are, chapter six of Artifice! I have over 180 (one-hundred and eighty!) reviews at the time I write this. That's just wow for me. Thank you all so much. It seems to be habit for me to keep making excuses for my late updates but real reason behind this one guys: School. School school and more school. I've been working my buns off to graduate early, and now that I've done that I've gotten a job and have been involved in some other stuff...

Blanket Disclaimer: Naruto and all characters contained there within belong to Kishimoto. I do, however, take sole responsibility of this plot.

**:x:**

**:x:**

_Artifice: 1. n. Subtle but base deception._

_2. n. A deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture._

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Artifice **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**:x: **

**Chapter Six**

**:x: **

**Contact**

**:x: **

**:x:**

The first and most resonant thing Naruto felt was anger. Beyond the quickly-fading shock burned a flame, dancing furiously behind the blue eyes.

This was the person who Tsunade sent him to? Jiraiya? She should have known better.

Of course, there was once a time when Naruto would have been more than glad to see the man before him. A time when he would have been overjoyed.

After all, every young child was happy to see their father.

Technically, by birth, Naruto knew Jiraiya had no blood-relation to him. In the same way that Tsunade had no real relation to him. But when he was just a kid, Tsunade and Jiraiya were all he had. In their own way, they were his surrogate parents. Who was he to know any better?

Naruto had always been rambunctious. He'd always wanted to do something with someone. Tsunade wasn't similar to him in that regard. She took things slowly and at her own pace. Jiraiya, however, was constantly there beside him to cause some sort of mischief –which his partner, Tsunade, would always have to be prepared to clean up.

That was how the blonde boy had grown up. His very earliest memories were of Jiraiya who, at that time, had been Naruto's primary caretaker. Naruto never truly knew what it was like to have real parents, but for the time he had them, he was more than content with both Tsunade and Jiraiya.

More than a father, Naruto idolized him. Whenever Naruto would slip and fall, Jiraiya was there to help him up, the same grin plastered on his face. After time, Naruto adopted that grin. After time, Naruto adopted everything about him.

And then one day, back when the whiskered boy was about seven years of age, Jiraiya disappeared.

No longer was he there to tote Naruto from place to place. No longer was he there to argue with Tsunade. No longer was he there for Naruto to admire.

He was just gone.

Upon recollection, Naruto could recall the day very clearly. He'd woken up on his own –he remembered this because he could barely sleep from excitement. That was the day Jiraiya had promised to show him how to throw his legendary splitter in baseball. Come ten o'clock, there was still no Jiraiya.

The next few hours were spent in more frustration than anything else, a bit peeved that Jiraiya had backed out but never, not once, doubting him.

When his door began to open Naruto had readied himself to berate the older man angrily, something he'd picked up from the pig-tailed woman's actions. To his surprise, it wasn't Jiraiya at all. Tsunade was at the door.

He may have favored Jiraiya in most things, but he still loved Tsunade in a way he could only assume was how a son would adore his mother. So when he saw the tears in her eyes his discontent grew.

She was wearing green that day, Naruto recalled. She never wore green anymore.

Her heels were soundless on his carpet as she sat on his bed. Her eyes were puffy and she worried her lip. Looking up, she'd beckoned Naruto over.

"Naruto," She'd said, her tone strong but her voice wavering. "You're becoming a grownup now, right?" At his nod she continued. "Grownups are strong, right?"

What a silly question! He thought this was serious. After a laugh he said, "Tsu's really strong."

The woman didn't smile. Just ran her slender fingers through his hair. "Then be strong like me."

"What about Ero-Sennin?" Tsunade's affectionate nickname for Jiraiya. Her face darkened and the arm petting him went slack, the other fisting in his sheets.

"Forget about him. He's gone, Naruto. And he's not coming back."

**:x:**

The ensuing week had been utter turmoil. Naruto didn't know what to think. His naive boyish mind couldn't figure out why Jiraiya would leave them, leave him. He started confused but within a short period of time that faded into sadness and guilt. Everyone said he was a monster. Jiraiya must have just realized the truth. Naruto blamed himself. Tsunade said to be strong but how was he supposed to do that when every which way he turned the eyes were staring at him with that total bitter _coldness_. With those sharp eyes that haunted him in his sleep. How was he supposed to be strong when he hardly knew what that was?

Shortly after that Naruto had seen Tsunade do something he'd never seen her do before. She cried. It wasn't full out hysterics, more of a silent gasp with just a handful of delicate tears falling. Even his pre-teen self would have preferred hysterical sobs to the heart-wrenchingly broken despair she demonstrated.

She had been waiting for him upon his return to his room, the new employee Iruka leaving them alone silently.

As his timid, young steps sounded towards his bed she made no sign of acknowledgment. She made no sign of anything, nor did she try to stem her sorrow. He sat beside her, a tiny indent on his bed and gently placed a small hand on her shoulder.

Her watery eyes met his, uncharacteristically, somber ones. "Let's be strong, Tsu."

**:x:**

Strong they had been. Jiraiya had become a sort of taboo for the duo. Out of sight, out of mind. It had been difficult at first. Naruto had simmered with anger for weeks after the betrayal, as he thought of it. He'd been snappish and an overall monster to be around.

Thankfully for the staff, he'd outgrown it. And, as time passed, he'd outgrown Jiraiya. The years moved on and the deserter had become less than a mere memory.

A phantom that was now standing before him, a guarded look behind those eyes.

Without a word, Naruto turned and made to walk off, hand in pocket. There was no way he would stay with this man, the man who made Tsunade cry. The man who gave the reason for Tsunade to get that far-off look in her eyes when she thought no one was looking.

A heavy hand weighed on his thin shoulder and Naruto flinched. Not because he thought Jiraiya would hurt him or because of the possibility of confrontation. Simply because he wasn't used to touch. He was even less used to friendly touch.

"Naruto. Wait."

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have. He would have kept going and not even glanced back. He would have done just what Jiraiya did.

But maybe it was the tone in the gravely voice calling to him. Maybe it was his deep-set urge for love, or some form of recognition, just like Jiraiya had once gave. Maybe it was that Tsunade had trusted Jiraiya enough for this.

That particular moment of that particular night, Naruto chalked it up to the unbelievably cold weather waiting with bared fangs for him just outside these walls.

Any which way, Naruto stopped, still tense from the unusual sensation of added weight on his body, and decided to hear him out.

He owed Tsunade that much, at least. He owed her enough to trust her fully. And if that meant he'd have to trust this man...

"Just...just listen to me. For a bit."

The whiskered boy scowled, sharp as the edge of a blade, and shirked under the foreign touch. The direction he was facing caused him to miss the flicker of remorse from Jiraiya.

"At least come inside...you look half dead."

Naruto glared at him over his shoulder accusingly. Jiraiya put his hands up in self-defense, a nervous smile set upon his lips.

"Now now, don't look at me like that. And without sounding too cliché," he looked around him in a very conspiratorial -and cliché- way, "the walls have ears. Now c'mon. Inside."

The boy crossed his arms over his chest in a very 'no nonsense' sort of way -which he had learned early on from Iruka- and passed through the threshold. Perhaps he should have been in the least bit wary, but he was much too interested to hear the blatherings this idiot.

It was much warmer in the apartment; bordering hot, even. Naruto's first notion was that the interior was tacky. It was a beautiful setup, sure, but the decorating choice was just...tacky.

The rug he was standing on, for example. Covering the light hardwood floors was a large area rug, bright red with black swirls dotting it. Following that vein, the couch was an inexplicable shade somewhere between lime and kiwi and had darker green blobs along its surface. It didn't look very appealing. The entirety of the room was similar to this; thick gold drapes, a black-and-white plaid chair next to a huge bookshelf. The books weren't arranged in any specific order from the looks of it; many of them were dangling off the edge and some, he noticed, were being used as coasters. Another chair was rendered completely useless from the sheer amount of texts piled atop it.

The television was large and loud and there was a powered-down computer in the far corner of the room, tucked away under a massive amount of paper-wads.

Though there was no kitchen in sight, a small table was off to the side. Only one chair was currently free of junk, and the top of said surface was absolutely littered with dirty plates and curious white boxes of varying sizes.

Even his taste in art was questionable, as any single piece the teen could find -whether it be paintings, vases, busts and, in one disturbing case, lamps- was in the shape of a woman of some sort.

The sole source of light -aside from the T.V.- was the strange lamp.

He may have decided to listen, but that didn't mean he'd make it easy for the older man. This was, after all, Jiraiya he was dealing with.

"Well, take a seat."

Naruto turned his face, purposefully wiped clean, towards him, raising a single eyebrow. The question, and even the slight sense of condescending, was evident.

_Where._

Jiraiya flushed with rightful embarrassment. "Ehe...sorry, the cleaning lady hasn't been around lately."

The boy snorted in disdain. "Yeah, like ever."

Ignoring Naruto's comment, the man moved over to his table and cleared as much off the top as he could part with, taking armfuls of apparent garbage and disappearing around the corner for a moment. He then took the old newspapers from the chair nearest the clean one, dumping them unceremoniously on the floor.

"Here ya go." He said, flopping down and leaning his head heavily on a fist. Using his other hand, he grabbed the nearest white box and offered it to his company. "Want some? Moo Goo Gai Pan."

Naruto made a point of sniffing derisively and Jiraiya shrugged. "Suit yourself." Using the chopsticks he'd pilfered from a nearby box, he dug in.

When he'd been invited in, Naruto thought he'd be getting some sort of explanation. Something along those lines. Something _sane_. And yes, he would admit that he was hungry. But this food looked both stale and disgusting, and he'd be damned if he was going to appear weak in front of the figure who forced him to become strong at such an early age.

So he settled for a mix between glaring at the tattooed main and longing looks at the food.

"How'd you get here?" the elder inquired between chews.

Already in a bad mood, Naruto showed his annoyance. "I hitched a ride with a circus. How do you _think_? I walked."

Jiraiya brushed right past the sarcasm. "Ah, I see. And how was it that you managed to be in the position to walk?"

"Not that you should care, but Tsunade." Naruto ground out.

For the briefest of seconds Naruto fancied he saw something pass over Jiraiya's face. Before he could even begin to dissect it though, Jiraiya continued and all current emotions were replaced with blind fury.

"How did she get my address?"

'Not from _you_,' Naruto wanted to say. 'There was no way for her to follow you after you totally crushed her, crushed _us_.' Instead, he opted for a glare and, "How the Hell would I know?"

Another fleeting look, this time the blonde distinctively made out pain. Good, he deserved it.

"I guess I deserved that..."

'Damn right you did!' Naruto thought angrily.

"I can't say much now but...I want you to trust me. I know it's hard but everything I've done I did for you and Tsunade. Everything."

"Oh?" the teen seethed. "Just abandoning us? Wow, thanks. Totally beneficial. Really."

Not wanting to take anymore of this insulting talk, Naruto abruptly stood and walked to the door.

"Wait!" Jiraiya called after him, knocking his chair over in his haste to catch up. "Just trust me!"

Naruto stopped, giving Jiraiya the coldest look he could muster. "And why should I do that?

Jiraiya waited a moment before answering. "Because apparently, Tsunade does."

He let the air leave him in a gust, but looked away in defeat. Playing the Tsunade card. "I can't figure out _why_." He mumbled.

"Neither can I." Jiraiya agreed quietly. "Neither can I."

**:x:**

All said and done, Naruto was in bed quite late that night.

As it turned out, Jiraiya's home was very nice indeed. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms -which was good, because Naruto did not want to see what Jiraiya's master-bath looked like- a roomy kitchen and the living/dining room he'd first seen. Not too shabby.

And luckily, it was just the living room decorated in that, for lack of a better word, unique way. And maybe Jiraiya's, but again -Naruto had no desire whatsoever to enter that particular area.

His own temporary room, for Naruto had assured Jiraiya that these sleeping arrangements were just for a night or two, was the guest room and had sparse furniture, colored a tasteful tope.

It wasn't orange, but at least it wasn't white.

The first night had been uneventful after Naruto's begrudging acceptance; Jiraiya had given him the grand tour and Naruto had willingly collapsed into his bed, too tired to even begin reflecting on the day or planning for tomorrow.

One thing was sure though.

Even being with Jiraiya was better than being with Akatsuki.

And all Naruto had to look forward to now was Tsunade who, he remembered, promised to get in touch within ten days.

Ah well. He could wait. Besides, there was sure to be a plether of absolutely astounding things for Naruto to do out here in this world.

Yet despite all that, the only thing the blonde boy could think of as he fell asleep was a set of hauntingly green eyes.

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

Post Note: Though it's not technically a filler, for it contains quite a bit of plot relevant information, it certainly felt that way to write. And so, I hope there was some bang in that thur chapter for the readers. I'd once more like to fervently apologize for the gap in updates. In addition to all the things mentioned in the AN, my mother got very sick recently and I'd been spending all of my waking moments at the hospital with her. And for those wondering, she is much better now.

So, I suppose there was some interesting stuff this chapter, if you look for it. I, personally, am looking quite forward to the next chapter, which should help me push it out more quickly, so keep an eye out!

Lastly, I thank every one of you for your kind words. All your favs, alerts, C2S, and especially reviews. Thank you all so much. It is entirely you guys who keep this story up-and-running. So I kindly beg of you; review! Please! X3. Who knows! If I get enough encouragement I may push up a certain encounter to the next chapter! Hehe.

**:x:**

**:x:**

**:x:**

-hanyoupup


End file.
